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Lateral phase change memory

Active Publication Date: 2010-10-19
STMICROELECTRONICS SRL
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, the use of different materials for the upper and lower electrodes may result in various disadvantages.

Method used

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  • Lateral phase change memory
  • Lateral phase change memory
  • Lateral phase change memory

Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0017]Referring to FIG. 1, a lateral phase change memory 50 includes a pair of electrodes 20 and 24 spaced by an intervening insulator 22. The electrodes 20 and 24 and the intervening insulator 22 are cup-shaped or U-shaped. The spacing between the electrodes 20 and 24 is determined by the thickness of the insulator 22, which can be precisely controlled and may be very thin. As a result, the threshold voltage of the device 50 may be relatively low.

[0018]An upper contact 44 makes contact to the upper electrode 24 and a lower contact 10 makes contact to the lower electrode 20. A phase change material region 36 is completely encapsulated in insulators 38, 42, 40, 28 and 16. An oxide layer 12 underlies the insulator 16.

[0019]In FIG. 1, the electrodes 20 and 24 are made symmetrically. In particular, they may be made of the same material. Here, both electrodes 20, 24 are deposited before the phase change material 36 deposition and, thus, the electrodes 20, 24 can be prepared at an elevate...

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PUM

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Abstract

A lateral phase change memory includes a pair of electrodes separated by an insulating layer. The first electrode is formed in an opening in an insulating layer and is cup-shaped. The first electrode is covered by the insulating layer which is, in turn, covered by the second electrode. As a result, the spacing between the electrodes may be very precisely controlled and limited to very small dimensions. The electrodes are advantageously formed of the same material, prior to formation of the phase change material region.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates generally to semiconductor memories and, in particular, to a lateral phase change memory.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]Phase change memory devices use phase change materials, i.e., materials that may be electrically switched between a generally amorphous and a generally crystalline state, as an electronic memory. One type of memory element utilizes a phase change material that is electrically switched between generally amorphous and generally crystalline local orders or between different detectable states of local order across the entire spectrum between completely amorphous and completely crystalline states.[0005]Typical materials suitable for such an application include various chalcogenide elements. The state of the phase change materials is also non-volatile, absent application of excess temperatures, such as those in excess of 150° C. for extended times. When the memory ...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Patents(United States)
IPC IPC(8): H01L47/00
CPCH01L45/06H01L45/1226H01L45/1253H01L45/144H01L45/16H10N70/823H10N70/841H10N70/231H10N70/011H10N70/8828
Inventor DODGE, RICHARDWICKER, GUY
Owner STMICROELECTRONICS SRL